Symbolism And Allegory In The Pearl

Throughout time, The Pearl has been a poem subject to criticism and profound analysis on behalf of common readers and academics alike –this in regard to the manner in which the poem’s main themes are presented, and what the unknown author initially intended by introducing such topics. The Pearl, indeed, is complex poem to study and one on which the medieval dream visions, symbolism and allegory are used by the poet as narrative techniques to further develop his work.

In the dream vision, distraught by the loss of his infant daughter and in a state of deep mourning the narrator dreams of a beautiful garden. Wandering further, he encounters the image of a woman whom he recognizes as his daughter –his incomparable Pearl. From here on, the poem can be divided in Prologue, Dialogue and Epilogue. In the Prologue, the encounter between the narrator and the woman representing his daughter takes place; in the Dialogue, the woman scolds the man on his lost sense of incomprehensible grief as she explains her current status as a blessed soul and the bride of the “Lamb”; in the Epilogue, he is allowed to glimpse upon Jerusalem as a procession is taking place.

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The narrator opts to use this symbol in reference of something which holds a magnificent worth for him –in this case, someone he has lost and whom he profoundly misses. By the use of words such as “her” –which makes reference to the image of a girl– and the language he uses when describing the object of his desire, it becomes clear that it is the narrator who is making use of allegories to refer to a person and not solely a jewel. In this manner, he compares the late girl to a precious stone –her value and beauty, as he perceives them, are to be compared with no other. Moreover, the speaker goes on to further develop this allegory when discussing the loss of